Yarn guides for over-end winding



March 9, 1965 Filed July 2, 1962 J. F. THOMAS ETAL. 3,172,249

YARN GUIDES FOR OVER-END WINDING 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 9, 1965 1. F. THOMAS ETAL 3,172,249

YARNGUIDEsFoR OVER-END wINDING Filed July 2, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venters M A Horn e ys March 9, 1965 J. F. THOMAS ETAL 3,172,249

YARN GUIDES FOR OVER-END WINDING Filed July 2, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet .'5

A tlarneys United` States Patent C) 3,172,249 YARN GUIDES FR OVER-END WINDING James Frederick Thomas, Newport, and Derek .lohn Wood, Cwrnhran, England, assiguors to British Nylon Spinners Limited, Pontypool, Monmouthshire, England Filed July 2, 1962, Ser. No. 266,806 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 2S, 1%1, 27 ,348/ 61 6 Claims. (Cl. 57-119) The present invention relates to yarn guides for overend winding and more particularly to yarn guides for said purpose which have the form of a llexible circularring member rolling in the groove of a member with an internally grooved circular aperture.

In the over-end winding of yarn on to a contamer on a rotating spindle, as in the case, for example, of doublers or downtwisters, it is necessary to control the running yarn by means of a guide, which executes a relative toand-fro or traverse motion in an axial direction with reference to the spindle and container, so that the yarn is laid on the container in the desired manner. By relative motion, it is meant that the yarn guide may move and the spindle be fixed or vice versa or, indeed, both guide and spindle may be in motion. Hitherto by way of yarn guides there have been employed (l) the flyer (2) the cap and (3) the ring and traveller. The ring and traveller arrangement is commonly used for rayon and synthetic libres such as nylon, but the travellers havefrequently to be replaced on account of wear, especially when the speed is raised; in fact at very h1gh 'speeds breakage of the traveller ensues. These diiculties are largely overcome by the present ring member guide wh1ch can be regarded as taking the place of the traveller 1n the ring and traveller system.

It has previously been proposed in United States Patent No. 2,550,761 to use as yarn guide what is referred to as a oating ring but this is a rigid ring. The present ring is flexible and works in a flexed state; it can be made of synthetic resin or metal and is cheap, light and eiicrent.

This invention consists of a yarn guide for the overend winding of yarn on to a container on a rotating spindle, said yarn guide comprising a member with an internally grooved circular aperture positioned so as to surround said container, and an inner resiliently flexible ring member, circular when undistorted but capable of flexing in the plane of its circle and adapted to be retained by the groove of said grooved aperture, which embraces over half the circumference of the flexible ring member and constrains the ilexible ring member to roll in a circle (referred to hereinbelow as its circle of rotation) in a exed condition under the pull of the yarn, part of the circumference of the ilexible ring member being in contact with the bottom of the groove and the remainder separated therefrom by a gap through which the yarn passes in contact with the periphery of the flexed inner ring member.

The member with an internally grooved circular aperture may be for instance a ring or an apertured plate, which latter may be square or have other shapes.

The llexible inner ring member may consist of a exible ring made with variously shaped-cross sections but the desirable exibility in the plane of its circle is conveniently ensured by choosing a cross-sectional shape whereof the height is large compared with the width or thickness. In speaking of the flexible ring or its cross-section it is to be noted that the plane of the circle of the ring is imagined to be horizontal, which is its normal position since the spindles of winding machines are normally Vertical. It is also advisable for the edge over which the yarn passes to be rounded so as to present less resistance. A suitable ice cross-sectional shape is a narrow rectangle, one end of which is rounded or semicircular. Advantageously both ends thereof may be made rounded or semicircular.

Conveniently the anges or side walls of the groove of the internally grooved member which embrace over half the circumference of the liexible ring, are parallel for at least part of their depth. In this case the flexible ring has a cross-section of slightly less height than the distance separating the parallel side walls of the groove so as to have a sliding lit therebetween. The bottom of the groove of the internally grooved member may be variously shaped. It is preferred that the cross-section of the groove be rectangular. In this case the side walls of the groove are parallel for all of their depth. Their depths may be equal when clearly the radii of the rims of the groove will likewise be equal. Advantageously the aforesaid gap between the flexed inner ring and the bottom of the groove is large enough to leave a gap between the rims of the ilanges of the groove (if they are of equal depth), or at least the rim of one of the lianges, and the flexed ring. This allows the yarn to pass without adopting a sinuous course and thus lessens its tension. The external diameter of the flexible inner ring in its undistorted condition, may be smaller than, the same size as or even greater `than the diameter of the circle formed by the bottom of the groove. Depending upon the degree to which the flexible ring is distorted, the curve it assumes may or may not contain inflections, but the latter are inevitably present when the external diameter of the ilexible ring is greater than that ofthe circle formed by the bottom of the groove.

The internally grooved member and the flexible inner ring may be fabricated of various materials, for example, mild steel, nickel-chromium-molybdenum steel, chromium plated steel, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, aluminium, titanium, and aluminium containing manganese, magnesium and copper (known as Duralumin).

The present invention has the advantage compared with the traditional ring and traveller, not only that very high speeds of winding are possible but that the wear is very slight because the yarn makes contact with all the periphery of the iiexible ring instead of passing at one spot through the traveller and that no lubricant, which is always liable to soil the yarn, is employed.

The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows in elevation yarn being wound on to a container with the internally grooved member which is a ring made of three components and the exible inner ring, whereof the cross-sectional shape is a narrow rectangle with one semicircular end.

FIGURE 2 gives an enlarged view of the yarn passing round the ilexible inner ring together with the neighbouring groove, shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 shows the subject of FIGURE 1 in plan (the liexed inner ring exhibiting no inexions).

FIGURE 4 shows the subject of FIGURE l in plan (the flexed inner ring exhibiting no inliexions).

FIGURE 5 illustrates in plan yarn being wound on to a container with the internally grooved member, which is a square plate made in one piece and the flexible inner ring, whereof the crosssectional shape is a narrow rectangle with both ends semicircular.

FIGURE 6 gives an enlarged view of the yarn passing round the flexible inner ring together with the neighbouring groove, shown in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURE 1 the yarn 1, coming through the pigtail 2, runs in the direction of the arrow, and passes around the flexed inner ring 3, which together with the internally grooved ring 4, 6 and 8, constitutes the yarn guide. The ilexible ring in its undistorted condition is smaller 3 than the groove. The yarn is then wound up on the container 5. Conventional means (not shown) are employed to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction (as shown by arrow in FIGURE 3) the yarn container 5, and to give the ring 4 a relative to-and-fro or traverse motion in an axial direction with reference .to said container. It can be seen that the groove is rectangular in crosssection and that the flanges of the groove are unequal in depth. The flexible ring is shaped like a narrow rectangle with a semicircular lower end. This can be seenY clearly in FIGURE 2 (similarly numbered to FIG- URE 1).

FIGURE 3 illustrates the same apparatus in plan, the parts being similarly numbered. The space between the flexible ring 3 and flange of smaller depth 6 is shaded and to be seen at 7. The exible ring, owing to the tension of the yarn, rolls around the bottom of the groove 8, which accordingly constitutes its circle of rotation. The flexible ring rolls around the groove in an anticlockwise direction and guides the yarn (in the gap 7) around with it.

Assuming that the exible ring is smaller when undistorted than the groove and rolls around it, accompanied by the yarn, in an anti-clockwise direction, as described above, it may be `mentioned for the sake of clarity that, providing the flexible ring does not slip in the groove, it will rotate slowly in a clockyvse direction. Moreover the rate of said rotation can be expressed by saying that every time the ring rolls once aroundk the groove, it executes the following fraction of a turn about its own centre:

(Difference between external diameter of (undistorted) exible ring and that of its circle of rotation) divided K by (external diameter of (undistorted) flexible ring).

If the flexible ring is the same size as the grove, it does not rotate; if the flexible ring in its undistorted condition is larger than the groove, it rotates in the same direction as it rolls (accompanied by the yarn) around the groove, the rate of rotation being given, as before, by the expression just stated above.

FIGURE 4 which is similarly numbered to FIGURE v 3 illustrates the case of a flexible inner ring which in its undistorted condition is larger than the groove.

For ease of assembly and dismantling the internally grooved ring has ben shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4 as made up of three separate components 4, 6 and 8, the latter components 6 and tting into the recess of ring 4. Nevertheless it is not usually necessary to assemble the components of the ring for the purpose of threading the yarn at the commencement of winding because it is not difficult to pass the yarn, for this purpose, through the gap '7 (see FIGURE 3). Nor it it necessary to dismantle the components of the internally grooved member in order to insert the ilexible inner ring, provided Ithat the radius of the rim of at least one of the langes be large enough to permit the insertion of the flexible ring in a suitably distorted condition. If desired, as an aid to the aforesaid insertion, the radius of part of the rim of one of the anges may be increased, even to such an extent as to remove the iiange entirely from ia small part of the circumference of the rim.

FIGURES and 6 are similarly numbered to the former figures except that the internally grooved square plate (being in one piece) is 4. It Will be observed that the yarn 4in FIGURES 5 and 6 is shown ballooning to a much greater extent than in FIGURES 1 and 2.

For the purpose of conveniently passing the thread from outside to inside the internally grooved member when it is Viirst wound on the rotating container, an oblique slot can be cut through the said internally grooved member. This course has however the disadvantage that owing to the open slot the dimensions of the grooved member may vary owing to distortion under stress. An

improved form of closed slot, which avoids this fault, leads not to the outside but to a large hole or cul-de-sac, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, where 9 is the slot and 10 the large hole. It is thus easy to thread the yarn through the large hole and then pass it through the slot.

In the following examples, specific embodiments of the invention, for the purpose of illustration but not limitation, are given; Examples 1 and 2 have particular reference to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, and Example 3 particular reference to FIGURES 5 and 6.

Example 1 The internally grooved ring is made of mild steel, and the inner ring of Duralumin. Their dimensions are as follows:

Internally grooved ring: Cms.

Radius of circle formed by bottom of groove (Le. the circle of rotation of the inner ring) 5.961 Radius of rim o upper flange 5.910 Radius of rim of lower ange 5.715 Depth of upper flange 0.051 Depth of lower ange 0.246 Width of groove (distance apart of parallel flanges) 0.330 Flexible inner ring:

External diameter (when undistorted) 11.887 Height of cross-section (including semicircular end) 0.323 Width 0.051 The sliding clearance in the groove is consequently 0.330-0323 .007

The yarn consisting of 34 nylon filaments total denier 210) is fed byconventional means through the pig-tail 2 at 350 metres per minutes, the speed of rotation of the container 5 being adjusted to 8000 r.p.m. in an anticlockwise direction. Under these conditions the yarn has a twist (after over-end take oil) of ca. 26 turns per metre. The exible ring rolls around the groove at the same speed, naturally, as the yarn circles the container. This speed depends on the size of the package. For example, when the yarn isrflrst wound on the empty container which has a diameter of 4.76 cms., the flexible ring Vrolls around the groove about 6,000 times per minute.

4680 X6000=18 revolutions per minute Example 2 The internally grooved ring is of mild steel and the inner ring of polytetrailuoroethylene. Their dimensions are as follows:

Internally grooved ring: Cms.

Radius of circle formed by bottom of groove (i.e. the circle of rotation of the inner ring) 5.893 Radius of rim of upper flange 5.753 Radius of rimof `lower ange 5.715 Depth of upper ange 0.140 Depth of lower ange 0.178 Width of groove (distance apart of parallel flanges) 0.645 Flexible inner ring:

External diameter (undistorted) 11.742 Height of cross-section (including semiy circular end) 0.630 Width 0.140 The sliding clearance of the groove is thus J Except that the speed of rotation of the container is 6000 r.p.m. the other conditions are as given in VExample 1.

Example 3 The internal grooved ring is made of mild steel, and

the inner ring of nicl elchromium-molybdenum steel. Their dimensions are as fcliows:

Internally grooved ning:

Radius of circle formed by bottom of groove Cms.

The yarn consisting of 34 nylon filaments (total denier 210) is fed by conventnional means through the pig-tail 2 at 457 metres per minute, the speed of rotation of the container 5 being 9000 r.p.m., in an anti-clockwise direction. Under these conditions the yarn has a twist (after over-end taken olf) of ca. turns per metre.

What we claim is:

1. A yarn guide for the over-end Winding of yarn on to a container on a rotating spindle, said yarn guide comprising a member with an internally grooved circular aperture positioned so as to surround said container, and an inner resiliently iexible ring member, circular when undistorted but capable of flexing in the plane of its circle and adapted to be retained by the groove of said grooved aperture, which embraces over half the circumference of the flexible sing member and constrains the flexible ring member to roll in a circle in a flexed condition under the pull of the yarn, a substanti part of the circumference of the flexed ring member being in contact with the bottom of the groove and the remainder separated therefrom by a gap formed by deformation of said ring member by the yarn in passing in a non-sinuous path in contact with the periphery of the inner ring member.

2. A yarn guide as claimed in claim l, wherein the member with an internally grooved circular aperture is a ring.

3. A yarn guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member with an internally grooved circular aperture is a piate.

4. A yarn guide for the over-end winding of yarn on to a container on 1a rotating spindle, said yarn guide comprising; a member having a circular aperture surrounding said container, the well of said aperture having a circular groove therein which is defined by a bottom wall and a pair of spaced flanges; and an inner resiliently flexible ring having a cross-sectional shape which is a narrow rectangle both ends of which are rounded, said ilexible ring being circular when undistorted and having an internal diameter when undistoited Which is close in size to the diameter of the bottom Wall of said groove and which is of sufcient size that said ring must be deformed before the yarn can pass between it and the flanges in a non-sinuous path, said ring being capable of fiexing in the plane of its circle, and retained by the groove of said grooved aperture, said groove embracing over half the circumference of the flexible ring and constrain it to roll in a circle in a flexed condition under the pull of the yarn, a substantial part of .the circumference of the ilexed ring being on contact with the bottom wall of the groove and the remainder separated therefrom by a gap through which the yarn passes in contact with the periphery of the flexed ring, said gap being formed by deformation of said ring.

5. A yarn guide as claimed in claim 4, wherein the member with an internally grooved circular aperture is a ring.

6. A yarn guide as claimed in claim 4, wherein the member with an internally grooved circular aperture is a plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,280 4/33 Gooddard 57-119 2,083,724 6/37 Major 57--124 2,550,761 5/51 Blackwood 57-75 FOREIGN PATENTS 114,214 3/18 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A YARN GUIDE FOR THE OVER-END WINDING OF YARN ON TO A CONTAINER ON A ROTATING SLINDLE, SAID YARN GUIDE COMPRISING A MEMBER WITH AN INTERNALLY GROOVED CIRCULAR APERTURE POSITIONED SO AS TO SURROUND SAID CONTAINER, AND AN INNER RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE RING MEMBER, CIRCULAR WHEN UNDISTORTED BUT CAPABLE OF FLEXING IN THE PLANE OF ITS CIRCLE AND ADAPTED TO BE RETAINED BY THE GROOVE OF SAID GROOVED APERTURE, WHICH EMBRACES OVER HALF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE FLEXIBLE RING MEMBER AND CONSTRAINS THE FLEXIBLE RING MEMBER TO ROLL IN A CIRCLE IN A FLEXED CONDITION UNDER THE PULL OF THE YARN, A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE FLEXED RING MEMBER BEING IN CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE GROOVE AND THE REMAINDER SEPARATED THEREFROM BY A GAP FORMED BY DEFORMATION OF SAID RING MEMBER BY THE YARN IN PASSING IN A NON-SINUOUS PATH IN CONTACT WITH THE PERIPHERY OF THE INNER RING MEMBER. 